Weft detectors for looms



- June 15, 1965 g. F. SICILIANO 3,189,057

WEFT DETECTORS FOR LOOMS Filed March 11, 1963 United States Patent Office 3,189,051? Patented June 15, 1965 3,189,057 WEFT DETECTORS FOR LOOMS Samuel F. Siciliano, Westerly, 12.1., assignor to George C. Moore Company, Westerly, RL, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Mar. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 264,446 8 Claims. (Cl. 139-670) This invention is an improvement in weft detectors for multi-shut-tle narrow fabric looms of the hind set forth in my prior patents, No. 2,470,527, granted May 17, 1949, No. 2,552,498, granted May 8, 1951, and No. 2,600,365, granted June 10, 1952, for Weft Detectors for Looms, and as in such patents has as its object the provision of a novel and improved mechanism of this sort having general utility but especially adapted for use in a narrow fabric loom employing a plurality of reeds and a plurality of shuttles on the same lay beam to weave a number of distinct fabrics simultaneously. The main purpose of the invention is as before to provide a device which will detect instantly a failure in the weft supply to any one of the plurality of fabrics being woven, whether such failure is caused .by breakage or exhaustion of such weft, or comprises slackness in the length of weft extending from the fabric to the shuttle during the beat-up and resulting from failure of the shuttle tension or other causes, and which device will respond to such detection by calling a change in the working of the loom, as by stopping the loom, or by operating .an audible or visual signal, or otherwise calling to the weavers notice the fact that the loom needs attention. Further aims of the patented devices, retained in the present invention, are to provide a structure which will operate correctly in spite of changes in the widths of the respective fabrics being woven, and to make it possible to install the detectors in existing looms with a minimum of effort and change therein and without adding appreciably to the weight of the lay or cluttering up the lay or the breast beam with motion-transmitting elements or wiring interferring with the Weavers work or otherwise adding obstructions.

Experience in many years of successful use of these weft detectors in commercial production has shown opportunities for improvement.

For one, they acted to detect breakage or slackening of the filling only on alternate beats of the lay, whereas it would be desirable to have them determine the state of the filling at every beat of the lay, so that the loom would be stopped in the same cycle where the missing or defective pick of filling occurred in any one of the fabrics and thus avoid the need to turn the loom reversely with unweaving of the corresponding picks in the rest of the fabrics being woven all across the lay, just to correct the weave in the one fabric.

Another possibility of improvement lies in disposing all parts of the detector which extend rearwardly beyond the tell of the fabric down below the bottom of the shed, so that the detector will not create a risk of entanglement with the warps or of interference with the passage of the shuttle through the shed or obstruct the weaver in working with the yarns in piecing them or correcting the weave.

A third chance for improvement lies in simplifying the form of the detector to enable it to be more easily, quickly, and cheaply constructed.

The object of the present invention is to attain these and other improvements, and the means and manner of their attainment are set forth hereinafter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic view in perspective indicating portions of the breast beam and lay of a narrow fabric loom and the shuttle and reed employed in the weaving of one of the plurality of narrow fabrics woven thereon, together with the weft detector of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the timer and the electrical connections between the weft feelers and the loom stop motion.

The invention is shown in connection with a narrow fabric loom employing bow shuttles, though it is equally applicable to straight shuttle narrow fabric looms. Since the reed, shuttle, and weft detector shown herein are duplicated and identical at each of the plurality of locations in the length of the lay where the respective narrow fabrics are being woven, only the parts involved in the invention at one such location are shown and described herein, all other parts being standard, it being understood that one of the novel feelers of the weft detector is provided at each fabric being woven in the loom. As usual in many instances, the bow shuttle 1 carrying the bobbin 3 on which is wound the weft 5 travels back and forth through the shed 7 of warps 9 in a curved path guided by part-circular slots forming a shuttle race in blocks (not shown) supported in vertical relation on the back of the lay 10 at each side of the reed 11 also supported on the lay-back (not shown), all in conventional manner, the shuttle passing back and forth in front of the reed while standing out at right angles thereto. The fabric 13 is drawn for-ward over rail 15 on the breast beam 17, and wound on a cloth roll (not shown) under substantial tension.

In applying the invention, a weft feeler 20 of generally H-s'hape in plan is provided, preferably made out of light, stiff steel wire, and comprising essentially two straight and parallel members held in fixedand spaced relation to each other by a crossabar, and each equipped with an upstanding filling-engaging element or finger to be engaged alternately by each successive pick of filling 5.

Preferably, the feeler 20 is made of three lengths of wire, one of which is first given two rectangular bends in the same plane at mid-length to form it into U-shape with the legs 21 of the U in parallel relation and spaced more widely apart than the widest fabric to be woven, and then the portion which joins the legs 21, =i.e., the base portion of the U, is bent up and then down again to form the two weft-engaging elements or fingers 23, disposed in parallel relation to each other in planes perpendicular to that of the legs 21.

The base portion of the U is then bent reversely at right angles at the feet of the fingers 23 to underlie in parallel and contiguous relation the adjacent portion of legs 21, and then to extend across from one leg to the other in the form of the cross-bar 25 which holds the legs parallel.

The other two wires referred to as composing the feeler are merely straight lengths 27 of similar steel wire, one end portion of each being brazed or otherwise rigidly secured to the part made as just described, preferably to the reversely bent short lengths 26 which underlie the adjacent ends of legs 21. These lengths 27 form extensions of the legs 21 in that they are in the same spaced and parallel relation as the legs, and substantially aligned therewith. Thus the device is substantially H-shaped when viewed from above.

To perform its detecting functions, the feeler 20 is supported for forward and rearward sliding movement with respect to the breast beam and lay by putting its two parallel rearwardly extending legs 27 through the dents of the reed 11, preferably adjacent the outermost dents at the sides thereof, to rest upon the bottom frame member 29 of the reed. The forwardly extending legs 21 are slidably mounted in holes 31 through a strip of electrically-conductive metal 33 extending all across the breast beam and secured as by screws 35 on a non-conducting base 37 of wood or other material applied to and fixed on the breast beam 17 as by screws 39. A second strip 41 of electrically-conductive material is attached as by screws 43 to the vertical front wall of base 37, with its top edge below the top surface of base 37. The forward end of each leg 21 is bent down at right angles to provide a combined stop and contactor 45 to make contact with this strip 41 at all times except when the feeler is pushed forward by the weft in a manner to be described. Such contact is effected by very light expanding coil springs 47 on each leg 21 which are confined between the crossbar 25 and the rearward vertical face of strip 33. The length of legs 21 is such as to keep the elements 23 out of range of the reed 11 and hence out of engagement therewith, these elements 23 thus being ever forward of the fell 29.

To perform its detecting functions, the feeler 29 is designed to be moved forward each time the lay beats up with the weft 5 extending in proper taut and unbroken relation from the fell 29 of the cloth to the shuttle 1 when the latter is at either side of the fabric 13, by engagement of the taut weft at each pick with one or other of the weft-engaging element or fingers 23 as the weft is beaten into the fell 29 by the reed 11 as the lay reaches front center. These elements 23 extend up well above the level of the fabric, alongside and spaced from ach selvage edge thereof. The required movement of the feeler by the weft is very slight, being only such as will carry the contactors 45 momentarily out of contact with the contactstrip 41. The rearward push of the light springs 47 is sufficient to hold these downturned ends 45 in contact with strip 41, against the slight tendency of the friction between the advancing reed and the rearward extensions 27 to carry the feeler forward during beat-up. This push of springs 47 is however too weak to prevent the forward movement of the feeler under pressure of the taut weft 5 extending from the fell 2? to the delivery eye of shuttle 1 as such eye is moved forward beyond the fell line toward the end of the beat-up.

Thus on every pick the contactors 45 are moved out of contact with strip 41 so long as the weft remains in good working order, in unbroken extent from the fell to the shuttle eye and properly tensioned by the friction device in the shuttle. But if the weft is broken or has run out, or is too slack, it will fail thus to move the feeler forward at this phase of the looms cycle, and the contactors 45 will remain in contact with strip 41.

In order to get a detecting impulse from this result of a defective weft, strips 33 and 41 are respectively made conducting elements of an electrical circuit actuating a shipper handle knock-off or other loom stop-motion, this circuit being completed as between these two strips by the contact of either of the contactors 45 with strip 4 1 and that of the extensions 21 with the interior of the holes 31 in the strip 29. Thus, strip 33 is connected by wire 51, FIGS. 1 and 2, with one terminal of the low side of a step-down transformer 53, FIG. 2, supplying 12 to 18 volt current taken from high voltage mains 55 connected with a suitable source of power (not shown) while strip 41 is connected by wire 57 with one terminal of an electrically actuated loom stop-motion 59. The other terminal of the stop-motion is connected by leads 61, 63, to the other terminal of the low voltage side of transformers 53, through a switch 65 which is actuated mechanically in timed relation to the looms cycle in such manner that the current can pass switch 65 and thus flow through the circuit only as the lay arrives at front center to effect the beating up of each pick. That is, the circuit is energized only as the lay reaches front center on every pick.

The timing switch 65, which thus limits the response of the circuit including the loom stopamotion 59 to the brief period during which the weft feels 20 of the plurality of reeds disposed across the lay should be moved forward by the respective wefts if the latter are in proper working condition, is actuated from any suitable or preferred going part on the loom, herein by means of a cam 67 fixed on the loom crank-shaft 69, which shaft makes one rotation for every cycle of the lay. Thus the rise of cam 67 rocks a bell-crank lever 71 counterclockwise about a pivot 73, suitably mounted on a fixed part of the loom, such lever pushing in the spring plunger of switch 65 to close such switch, each time the lay reaches front center, namely at every beat-up of the lay. In this way, the contact of the contactors 45 with contact strip 41 normally persisting throughout the entire working of the loom except at the moments when the simultaneous testing of the several wefts by their respective feelers 20 takes place, is nullified and rendered ineffective to stop the loom. As is obvious, it is only when the circuit is closed simultaneously by a contactor 45 of a feeler and the switch 65 that the stop-motion 59 acts to stop the loom; and this simultaneous closure of the circuit at two points can occur only at the limit of the forward travel of the lay. The result is that a failure of the weft weaving in any one of the plurality of fabrics in the loom instantly calls the change in the manner of operation of the loom, herein the stopping of the loom before a second pick can be laid in the rest of the fabrics.

It is to be noted that the novel form of the feeler with all parts except the elements 23 disposed in a horizontal plane lying wholly below the shed 7 and the path of the shuttle and below the fabric except at the rail 15, avoids entanglement with the yarns and interference with the shuttles or the work of the weaver, and gives the device an inherent stability by reasons of its prone position and its 4-point support on the lay and breast beam.

The simplified construction presents a minimum of ditficulty in shaping and assembling the parts, with brazing or welding required at only the two points where the rearward straight extensions 27 are attached at 26, with obvious economy of time, effort and expense of production.

While the form shown having two legs 21 and two extensions 27 supported respectively by the breast beam and the lay is preferred for its simplicity of construction, it is obvious that one of the forward or one of the rearward legs 21, 27 may be omitted if desired, as the resulting 3- point support will confer adequate stability in view of the horizontal prone relation of the device.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I claim is:

1. In a narrow fabric loom having a breast beam and a lay and a plurality of reeds and weft-bearing shuttles weaving fabrics thereon, in combination, a weft feeler supported on the breast beam for sliding movement forward and backward in the loom and comprising a unitary structure having surfaces to be engaged at each pick by the weft extending from a working shuttle, the structure being slid forward by such engagement, and means adapted to stop the loom whenever such forward sliding movement fails to be effected by the weft at each pick.

2. In a narrow fabric loom having a breast beam and a lay and a plurality of reeds and weft-bearing shuttles weaving fabrics thereon, in combination, a weft feeler supported on the breast beam for sliding movement forward and backward in the loom and comprising a unitary structure having a portion adjacent each edge of the fabric to stand in the path of the weft stretching from either edge of the fabric to the shuttle as the lay advances and to be pushed forward by the weft and thus slide the feeler forward, and means for stopping the loom whenever the feeler fails to be thus slid forward.

3. In a narrow fabric loom having a lay, a breast beam and a plurality of reeds and weft-bearing shuttles weaving fabrics thereon, in combination, a weft feeler comprising spaced and parallel members joined together to move in unison and slidably supported on the breast beam and lay one alongside each selvage edge of a fabric and disposed wholly below the level of the bottom shed, each member having a finger extending above the level of the fabric into the path of movement of the weft extending from a shuttle to the fabric as the lay advances, whereby the feeler is slid forward by the weft upon engagement therewith, and means adapted to stop the loom whenever the feeler fails to he slid forward at each pick.

4. A weft feeler for a narrow fabric loom having a lay, reeds thereon each having dents and a bottom frame, beam, means on at least one leg to intercept a weft bearing shuttles weaving fabrics thereon, comprising two side members and a cross-bar rigidly connected thereto and defining an H-shaped device with forwardly and rearwardly extending legs, the rearward legs thereof being adapted to rest on the bottom frame of a reed and slide freely through the dents thereof, the forward legs being adapted to slide through the guides on the breast beam, means on at least one legs to intercept a weft stretched between the shuttle and the fabric, spring means confined between the guides and the cross-bar to urge the device rearwardly, and stop means limiting the rearward sliding motion through the guides.

5. A weft detector for looms comp-rising an H-shaped structure of light wire comprising two substantially straight members and a cross-bar holding them in spaced and parallel relation in the same plane, each straight member having a laterally extending weft-engaging finger intermediate its length.

6. The device according to claim 5 in which at least one of the straight members has circuit-closing means for an electric stop-motion circuit.

'7. The device according to claim 6 in which an expanding coil spring surrounds at least one of the straight members.

8. In a narrow fabric loom having a breast beam and a lay and a plurality of reeds each having a bottom frame and dents and weft-bearing shuttles weaving fabrics thereon, in combination with a weft feeler of H-shaped with forwardly and rearwardly extending legs and disposed in prone relation below a fabric and its shed of warps, the rearward legs thereof extending through the respective reed and resting slidably upon the bottom frame of the reed, the forward legs slidably guided on the breast beam and yieldably biased in the rearward direction, fingers on the H alongside both edges of the fabric extending into the path of the weft running from a the shuttle to the fabric and each finger sliding the feeler forward when pushed by the weft, and loom stop-motion devices called into action when the feeler fails to be thus slid forward at each pick.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 114,929 5/71 Crowley 139-370 2,470,527 5/49 Siciliano 139-370 2,552,498 5/51 Siciliano 139--370 2,600,365 6/52 Siciliano l39370 2,646,827 7/53 Cederlund 139-370 2,882,932 4/59 Purdy 139370 3,003,524 10/61 Metzler 139341 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,189,057 June 15, 1965 Samuel F. Siciliano It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 68, for "feels" read feelers column 5, line 9, for "beam, means on at least one leg to intercept beam having guides, and a plurality a weft" read a breast of weftl-- column 6 line 6 for "with a weft :Eeeler of H- shaped" read a weft feeler of H-shape Signed and sealed this 23rd day of November 1965.

(SEAL) A nest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. IN A NARROW FABRIC LOOM HAVING A BREAST BEAM AND A LAY AND A PLURALITY OF REEDS AND WEFT-BEARING SHUTTLES WEAVING FABRICS THEREON, IN COMBINATION, A WEFT FEELER SUPPORTED ON THE BREAST BEAM FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT FORWARD AND BACKWARD IN THE LOOP AND COMPRISING A UNITARY STRUCTURE HAVING SURFACES TO BE ENGAGED AT EACH PICK BY THE WEFT EXTENDING FROM A WORKING SHUTTLE, THE STRUCTURE BEING SLID FORWARD BY SUCH ENGAGEMENT, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO STOP THE LOOM WHENEVER SUCH FORWARD SLIDING MOVEMENT FAILS TO BE EFFECTED BY THE WEFT AT EACH PICK. 